Roadshow: BART ride should improve when new cars are on track

Q Every time I take BART to San Francisco from Daly City, I'm reminded why I do it so rarely and rely instead on my car. Once on the train, it's a challenge to know which station has been reached. There are few maps within the compartment, it's difficult to understand what is being announced, and the signage at the station is almost impossible to read.

Shaila Sadrozinski

Palo Alto

A It should get better in about three years, when BART's new cars are expected to begin running. They will include a much better public address system and digital displays that will tell you where your train is in relation to the rest of the system.

And signs at the stations are being updated. The downtown San Francisco stations, particularly at Powell and Montgomery street, already reflect these improvements. They'll use icons or graphics when appropriate, in addition to or in place of text. They'll be done one station at a time as work fits into other projects. Up soon: the Ashby station.

Q When will BART install electronic display signs on entry-level platforms, which is a badly needed improvement? When entering the BART station and you hear a train arriving, you immediately get in a rush since you have no idea what train it is.

Remy Giannini

Discovery Bay

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A BART is moving ahead on this. Several stations have been outfitted with screens and more are on the way this year at North Concord, Concord, Walnut Creek, Lafayette, Orinda and El Cerrito, and next year at Balboa Park.

Q Last year South Hayward BART began charging $1 per day for parking. They also numbered parking spaces along curbs on streets adjacent to the station, such as at Tennyson Road, Mission Boulevard and Dixon Street. Why can BART charge for parking on public city streets?

Myrna Stephenson

Hayward

A BART lost a number of parking spots in lots now under construction. In order to ease the loss for riders, BART entered into an agreement with the city so riders can park in the numbered spots on the street and pay at the BART station. Proceeds are shared by BART and Hayward.

Q I drop my wife off at the Fremont BART station, and the corporate (Google) buses always roll in two at a time into the passenger drop-off section, hogging the lane. Traffic backs up and forces pedestrians to cut in between cars. It's dangerous. Why can't these buses wait on the other side of the station where city buses pull in? A bus is a bus.

Ralph Mcker

Fremont

A This is temporary. They are allowed to use the "kiss 'n' ride" drop-off on the west side of Fremont station, as the Warm Springs extension work is underway on the east side. Because of construction, the regular bus exit driveway is currently blocked. AC Transit buses are making additional turns to use the north driveway, but the larger shuttles cannot make the same turns, so they are allowed to use the west side until the driveway reopens in June.